CHAPTER 214: DIVIDING THE FAMILY PROPERTY AMONG 214

When the weather gets cooler, I’ll definitely make a few suitcases. There’s over three hundred pounds of cotton in the space, which was brought back from Russia, all carded. There’s nothing on the other side, I’ll check the supply and marketing cooperative in the next few days.

"Auntie, have all the crops in the field been harvested?"

"Hmm, except for sweet potatoes, soybeans, sorghum; only the corn has been harvested."

"Still about a month to go?"

"Yes, there’s still work to do."

Early the next morning, Jiang Xinyu made meat soup noodles and twisted dough sticks again. There’s nothing else to take out.

The four of them finished eating, carried the child, and went to Wang Ailing’s house. Jiang Xinyu went to work.

Wang Ailing also got up early to make breakfast; it was porridge with red pickles, honestly, there was nothing else.

"Mom and Dad, big brother and sister-in-law, come over to eat, it will be ready soon."

"Ailing, we’ve already eaten. You all eat."

Sun Ermei said as she took over her eldest grandson, and Guo Caifeng went over to help.

People of the Chen family had also woken up early, but the two sisters-in-law of Chen Guoliang sat on one side, their expressions not good.

The meal was directly in the courtyard. Wang Jianqiang’s family sat on one side.

"Mom, this courtyard must have cost quite a bit, right? You didn’t give all the money to Third, did you?" Wang Ailing’s second sister-in-law asked sarcastically.

"Where would I have the money to buy him a house?" Wang Ailing’s mother-in-law replied calmly.

"This house doesn’t look rented at all. Mom, they’re all your sons, you can’t be like this. Third has a good job, you can’t just care for him."

Chen Guoliang looked displeased. On such a joyous day, why create trouble for himself?

He glanced at his eldest and second brothers; they remained silent. Although their faces showed no expression, they seemed to be dissatisfied.

He was about to speak when Wang Ailing tugged at him.

"Sister-in-law, this house was initially rented. But my sister was afraid I’d be unstable in the future and lent me four hundred yuan. Now, the house is mine."

"Oh! Someone dared to lend you so much money?"

"Why not? I earn over thirty a month, isn’t that hard to repay?"

This was also why the two sisters-in-law looked down on her; this young third sister-in-law had a formal job, while the two of them could only farm.

Now the table became quiet. Chen Guoliang’s father put down his chopsticks.

"Since our in-laws are here today, let’s divide the family up so you don’t have to worry about it all the time."

The old man felt unhappy about this matter. Now, all three sons lowered their heads, and no one spoke.

Wang Ailing quickly cleared the table.

"Third, now that you have married, both of you have jobs, so there’s nothing from the family to split with you. What do you think?"

Chen Guoliang nodded, "Alright, I have no opinion on how to split."

"What about Guoliang’s wife?"

"Dad, I also have no opinion. A good man doesn’t depend on family division, a good woman doesn’t depend on a dowry. But my parents gave me a good job and set up this set of furniture for me. However, I will still be filial to them."

"Good, good child." Chen Guoliang’s father was quite satisfied with the words from the third son’s wife, much more than the previous two daughters-in-law.

"Your mom and I still have three hundred yuan, we’ll split a hundred yuan for each family, the rest we two will keep."

"And you two brothers provide us old folks with two hundred pounds of grain each year, and Third should give us five yuan each month."

"As for us falling sick in the future, you three brothers will share the expenses."

"The children of the first two brothers were helped by your mom in raising. In the future, when the third has children, also let your mom help take care of them."

"As for the family house, it doesn’t include Third. Your mom and I will live in it till we die, and after we die, it’s half for each of the two families."

This division seemed quite fair, and Chen Guoliang and his wife certainly had no objections.

The other two brothers nodded as well. However, the two daughters-in-law were not satisfied. "Mom, is this all the money the family has?"

"This little money was saved from the wages Guoliang gives me every month."

This time the two fell silent, but they were still not convinced inside.

"In-laws, sorry for letting you see a joke." Mr. Chen felt a bit embarrassed.

"Hehe, it’s not a problem."

"In-laws, please help us write down a document for family division, so there’s a clear record in the future."

"Sure. But we don’t have any paper or pen at home. Wang Ailing, ride your bike to the factory to get it from Jiang Xinyu."

"Alright, I’ll be back in a bit."

Wang Ailing found Jiang Xinyu and explained the situation.

"That’s good. Knowing your character, you won’t be unfilial. I’ll get you some letterhead with our factory header and three sheets of carbon paper. Write it up like that. Take the ink pad with you; just bring the ink pad back tomorrow, and leave the rest at home. How can a home not have paper and pen?"

Half an hour later, Wang Ailing brought back the needed items. The two elders sat together, one speaking and the other writing.

Sun Ermei accompanied the in-law mother on the kang, playing with the child.

The newlyweds sat in the courtyard surrounded by pink bubbles. After all, it’s a new marriage, and Chen Guoliang was very satisfied with Wang Ailing’s demeanor.

After finishing, Father Chen called over all the sons and daughters-in-law to take a look.

"If everything is correct, sign and leave your fingerprints."

By nine o’clock, the Chen family had split.

The two old Chen wanted to go back.

"Mom and Dad, eat before you leave. If tired of home, come stay in town. We’ll always have a place for you here. This house is ours now; once we pay off our debts, I plan to build additional rooms in this courtyard." Wang Ailing’s open words obviously pleased the elderly.

"No need, we’re going back. Haven’t worked these days, losing a lot of work points." Mother Chen chuckled and patted Wang Ailing’s hand.

"Ailing, Guoliang, we’ll head back too."

"Mom and Dad, you’re leaving too? Xinyu said to let you stay for a couple of days."

"No time, some crops are still not harvested in the fields. We’re off. By the way, when you two come back, bring the peanuts left for Xinyu. The ones used yesterday must’ve been hers, right?"

"Dad, we’ll go back this weekend."

As they sent off both families, the couple enjoyed some affectionate time together. Chen Guoliang still had to go to work, unwilling to take a day off. However, Wang Ailing was on a late shift and could stay home.

"Wife, I’ll buy lunch at the cafeteria for you and bring it back at noon."

"Sure, I’ll clean up in the morning and sleep in the afternoon."

Wang Ailing was a generous woman, disliking pettiness, pleasing Chen Guoliang greatly.

At noon, with colleagues teasing, Chen Guoliang bought lunch and returned home. The couple enjoyed a sweet meal and lay down for a bit, not just resting, of course.

In the evening, Jiang Xinyu brought them dried goods, kelp, and some cucumbers, scallions, beans, eggplants from the yard. She also brought them half a bag of flour.

She even gave them the ten pounds of soybean oil she had.